Right-hander Julio Teheran becomes the latest hurler to take the mound for the streaking Atlanta Braves on Tuesday night, when they aim for a 12th straight win in the second contest of a three-game series with the hosting Washington Nationals.
Atlanta extended its streak and stretched its lead in the National League East to 13 1/2 games on Monday, when Justin Upton's solo home run in the eighth inning provided a 3-2 decision.
Freddie Freeman went 3-for-4 with two RBI while Upton had three hits and scored twice for the Braves.
"The goal every season is to win as many ball games as you can," said Upton. "I don't care what kind of lead we've got, we've got to come out and win every night and that's our goal."
Mike Minor pitched six-plus innings for Atlanta and gave up two runs on eight hits with three walks and three strikeouts. David Carpenter (3-0) pitched 1 2/3 scoreless perfect innings to get the win.
It's the longest winning streak for Atlanta since the team ripped off 15 in a row from April 16-May 2, 2000.
Adam LaRoche and Anthony Rendon each drove in a run for the Nationals, who have dropped four of six.
Stephen Strasburg pitched seven innings for Washington and struck out nine while giving up five hits and two runs. Tyler Clippard (6-2) served up Upton's home run to take the loss.
"Stras pitched a heck of a ball game for us tonight," said Washington manager Davey Johnson. "We just didn't swing the bats good when we got guys on base. We really needed that one tonight."
The Braves won seven of the first 10 games between the teams this season, including two of three when they last played from May 31-June 2 in Atlanta.
Teheran, who was nine years old when Atlanta unleashed its 15-game win streak, picked up his eighth victory this season in his last start on Aug. 1 against Colorado.
The 22-year-old pitched five innings, allowed a run on five hits and equaled his season high by striking out 11 batters in defeating the Rockies, 11-2.
It was his first win since July 9 and ended a stretch of three outings in which he'd gone 0-1 and gave up six runs in 18 1/3 innings.
Teheran is 0-1 in three career meetings with the Nationals.
Washington goes with lefty Gio Gonzalez, who makes a fourth attempt at a first victory since his last pre-All-Star break start on July 10.
A 21-game winner last season, Gonzalez won four consecutive starts leading up to the break to improve to 7-3, allowing six runs on 26 hits in 27 combined innings of work.
He got no-decisions in subsequent outings at home against the Los Angeles Dodgers and Pittsburgh, but was shelled for an 11-1 loss at Detroit on July 31, allowing 10 runs in 11 hits while retiring only 11 batters.
He's 2-4 in seven career starts against the Braves.
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